Island



Se" t. 27 1927. f Y p A. LANDRY YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet l WW @gg 1 a 1,3,31 Sept 279 lA. LANDRY YARN FEEDING MEcHANIsM FOR KNIT'TING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5. 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .E Landry,

Sept. 27, 1927.

A.v LANDRY YARN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @ya I u i y Filed Aug. 5. v1919 scale of one of the UNiro .STATES ALDEI LANDRY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE PATENT ISLAND, 'ASSIGNOR T0 AHELVIPHILL COM- Y LPANY, or CENTRAL-FALLS, RHODE isLANnA oonroRA'rIoN or MASSACHUSETTS.

YARN-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR- KNTTING MACHINES.

Appleman nea August 5,

This invention. relates to yarn feeding mechanism for knittingma'chines and more particularly Vto automatic. yarn changing mechanism. y I y,

In order that the principle ofthe invention may best understood, Ihaveshown merely as examples certain illustrated embodiments which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, while the scopeof the inventionvvill be more particularly pointed out` in the appended claims.

V`In the drawings z- Y t Figzfl is a fragmentary rear elevation of a knitting machine showing the yarn guides togethery with` portions of their supporting and actuating instrumentalities;

Fig. 2 isa vertical sect-ion taken on Athe line 2 2 of Fig. l through one side of the needle .cylinder cam ring and associated parts, the yarn guides and thread operating meansk being `illustratedin connection with said needle cylinder. Y Fig.` 3 is a detail ViewV on an enlarged tuat'ing means;` Fig. 4 is a plan View of the latch ring and its support with a plurality yof yarn guides mounted thereon; f f

F igf is adetail vievt on an enlarged scale of the yarn guide [and operating means illustrated in Fig. 2, said yarn guide being shown in full lines in its yarn feeding positionvandin dotted lines in its yarn holding or Withdrawn position; f

Fig. v6 isa detail view of the parts illustrated'in Fig. 5 Witlrthe latch .ring or yarn guide supportingmember swungto its inoperative' position;

Fig; 7 yis a detail-vievvsimilar yto Fig. 5 illustrating a modified form ofrk vyarn guide, u; seuil {In} ui uinoqs uieq epiu met' pres its ya'rn'feeding position and in dotted lines inL its retracted position, thelatchring or yarnguide supporting member being also shown `in dotted lines in itsY operative posi-y tion;. .f I

Fig. 8 is a detail View ofstill another form of yarn yguid'e,` the yarn guide ysupporting member or latch rino"l bein h g shown in dotted lines in its inoperative'position;and i Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 2, Yillustrating "a modifiedV form ofvyarn guide and' yarn-guide actuating means.A l y Referringv to thev drawings wherein Ihave yarn guides and its aclatch ring.

1919.` Serial No.v315,53v1.

preferably though not essentially, disclosed as a basis for my invention an automatic, circular knitting machine l as a needle cylinder herein shown mounted upona beveled gear 2 arranged, to revolve in a suitable recess formed in the bed plate 3 of the machine, said beveledv gear being driven by suitable Well-known means, not herein shown or described. The needle cylinder l is longitudinally grooved to receive independentlyv movableineedles 4 Whichmay, in so far as this invention is concerned, be spring or latch needles,@the latter being shown, and these needles are operated longitudinally of the grooves in said needle cylinder by the usual knitting cams, indicated at 5 in Fig'. 2. Duringl the operation of the knitting machine,

ythe yarn or yarns are l'led tothe needles during the formation of various sections of the Work, and it is desirable often to change'the character of said yarnsy in accordance with certain sections of said Work, sometimes inserting a. number ofyarns at the same. time While at other times only one yarn may be in use, and the changing of said yarns is usually automatic and effected by Y means including pattern mechanism.

lVhen latch needles are employedV as shown," a latch ring similarY to that shown at 6 is essential vin order to Vvinsure the proper positioning of the latches 'during the stitch forming operations. lt is generally thecustom in machines ofthe type herein shown to mount the yarn guiding means in the latch ring, and hereinI-have shown a` plurality of yarn guides preferably five in number, as indicated,r at 7 pivotally mounted in said latch ring 6l In the' present example, referring more bed plate 3, said standard 9 being forked at' its upper end to receive between the arms thereof the tittingly forked end l0 ofsaid Mounted between the arms of said latter fork are the yarn guides 7 hereinbefoi'e referred to, these guides being pivot-V 'ally mounted upon a stud or pin ll extending transversely of the recess bet-Ween said arms. The yarn Aguides T are all substantially similar'. in constructionv and comprise forwardly extending curvedaims l2 provided at their extremities with suitable perforations 13 for theyarn vguides connected with the elevated thrust bars will automatically assume their elevated 'positions in readiness to continue the knitting from thepointv where knitting was stopped by the yraising of said latch ring. f y

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a yarn guide land actuating means therefor similar to those illustrated'in Figs. .1, 2, 4, 5 and G inclusive, but in this case the yarn guide `7 is connected directlywith the'thrust bar 19 by means of a` link 60, which is not provided with a'slot 27 as shown in the previous v forms, and thus prevents the yarn guide 7 from being "moved independently of its thrust bar. In this formthe movement of said yarn guide 7 is always in cooperation with the-thrustv bar 19, never independent thereof, consequently the spring 16, which normallyxtends tomaintain said yarn guidek in its lower yarn knitting position, will also y tend torestore'the thrust bar 19 to its lowermost position when the elevation 28 is re- `moved from beneath the end thereof.

In'the embodiment'of my invention illustrated in Fig. 7, I have shown a yarn guide mounted upon a supporting member, in

guide, which extension is arranged upon op- K posite sides'of the pivot 39 from the active or yarn guiding end 37 thereof. The yarn guide 35 is normally maintained with the pin 39l at the right hand end ofsaid slot 42 by means of a spring 44, one end' of which isjattached to said yarn lguide and the opposite end toa pin/ extending across the gap between the arms of the fork 41 andV constituting the pivot for said latch ring. The spring 44 is adapted` to exert a constant tension upon the yarn guide 35 to maintain it in its yarn feeding position, as shown in full lines in said Fig. 7, and means are provided to move said yarnv guide in opposition to the action of said spring to its inactive. or inoperative position, said means preferably consisting of a thrust barY 46 mounted in a similar manner tothe thrust bar 19, previously described, said thrust bar 46' being arranged'in ways 47. The upper end of said thrust bar is operatively connected with the yarnguide `35, herein by means of a'pin 48, and engages said yarn guide within'a slot 49 disposed as herein shown at an angle to the slot 42 and extendingftoward the free end 37 of said yarn guide. This slot` has two functions, one of whichA is to permit a limited movement of the pin 48 therein duringv the vertical reciprocations of ther thrust bar 46 in moving said yarn guide from its operative toits inoperative position, said spring 44 preventing.,v during such movements, any relative sliding movement between vsaid yarn guide and the pin 39. yThe .other function 0f said slot is to provide for movement of the yarn guide longitudinally to the rear of its yarn feeding position during the upward swinging movement of the latch ring 36' for transferring, etc. During this movement of said latch ring, the pin39 will travel toward vthe left in said slot 42 until the same occupies aposition at the oppositel or left hand end of said slot, at which timel said yarn guide will be moved bodily toward the left in said gure and until the pin 48 occupies a position at the right hand end of the slot 49, and when in said `positions said yarn guide andthe pins 39 and. 48 will serve as stops for the latch ring and prevent the same from being moved too far in its swinging movement, A, i

It will be observed that the thrust b ar46 is shown inl its lowermost position in full lines in Fig. 7, but should the same be in its elevated position, as illustrated in dotted lines, and the latch ring be moved to its inoperative position, the result will be practically the same 'as hereinbefore described, except as to the slight variation between thel two positions of the pin 48 as shown down, and that occupied by said pin when the thrust bar is raised. In either event. the yarn guiding end of the yarn guide will be raised to a substantial distance above its normal yarn guiding position, and remain in a convenient place whereby threading of the same may be effected without difficulty andwithout interference from the needles or from the latch ring, which at'thisv time will'be in its rearmost position. In the above-mentioned arrangement where the latch. ring is capable of being moved to its upper and rear position withoutI imparting an equal bodily movement. to the yarn guides, it is necessary to omit the throat plate generally employed in knitting machines of this character and, as shown at 15 in Fig. 5, to allow for said swinging movement ofthe latch ring. It is, however, necessary where latch' needles are employed, to provide such a throat plate in order properly to guide the yarn from the various yarn guides to the needles. This is particularly true whereseveral yarn guides'are employed,

and where'to and fro knitting is vto be produced, as the ends of the yarn guides have to be far enough removed from the needle cylinder to clear the latches of the'needle should the same swing outwardly during such reciprocation, as they are very likely4v vius to do". `Therefore, for this purpose a throat pfiate 38* is mounted independently of the latch ring and upona plate 38h within which are formed ways 47 for the thrust bars i-.6. This thi-oat plate is provided with the usual recessed portion 38p, through which the yarns pass to the needles of the machine, not shown in the drawings. By this arrangement said throat plate will always remain stationary, while the latch ringl may, when in its normal operating position, rest thereon as a support. Fig. 8, I have shown still another type of yarn guide, wherein the latch ring or supporting member for the yarn guide is substantially the same as' in the previous examples, and upon said ring the yarn guide 50 is' 'ivota-lly' mounted -at 5l upon a stud enten ing transversely of the gap or recess between `the arms of the fork 44; of the latch ring.' The-yarn guide 50 is provided with' a downwardly' extending curved arm 52 which has at its forward end a suitable perforation 53" through which the yarn is led to the needles of the knitting machine. A spring 5ft is attached to said yarn guide and tends normally to rock said yarn guide about the axis of the pivot 51 toward its yarn feeding position as shown in full lines. The movement of said yarn guide is limited in this direction by the thrust bar55, which is operatively c'onr'iectedl withsaid yarn guide by means of a p'in 56 and rests at its lower end in the usual manner against the periphery of the drum (see Fig.. 2), thus stopping the yarn feeding end 53 Iof the yarn guide in the correctp'osition for feeding the yarn to the needles. The operation of said yarn guide 5() from itsl operative position to its inoperative position is effected in substantially lthe saine manner as are theY yarn guides previously described, that is; by upward movement of the thrust bar 55 while in engagement with its velevation 28 on said cylindrical drum 29. It is desirable in'this example, as in the previous cases, that the latch ring' be permitted to swing to its upper or idle position particularly to enable the work to be transferred. In order toallow, for such a` movement of said latchring, the yarn guide 50 is extended at L56y in curved formation, and is provided with a: segmental slot 'xwhich describes an are, the axis whereof may beand preferably is coincident with the axis'I of said latch ring when the yarn guide is' in its lowermost position, and obviouslylby reason of said segmental slot the pin 51, which is the fulcrum onA which said yarn guide-swings vwhen moved to its uppermost or dotted position, will be moved longitudinally of said slot 57 to the outer eXtreme end thereof, and during said swinging movement no movement of said yarn.

guide will take place provided the same isV in its lower yarn feeding or full line posi tion. Should's'aid yarn guide be raised to miam its inoperative position, it will'be evident that a slight swinging linovernent of said yarn guide will take 4place about thev axis of the' pivot 56 during the movement'of the pin 51 along' said segmental slot. Y The pin is arranged to engage the yarn guide 50 within a somewhat elongated .hole 58 in order to Y i.

allow for anyangular movement of said thrust bar 55 during its yarn guide elevating" operation. g Y

A throat plate 555rL is `provided beneath said latch ring' and is for the same purpose Y and functions in the saine manner as does the throat plate 38, referred to infconnection with the example illustrated in` Fig. Q7.

In F 9, I have illustrated a different type et thrust bar frein that illustrated in the previous forms. In this eam'ple, the upper' end of the thrust bar 6l is arranged in suitable ways 62, and has its upper end rounded at 63 to engage the undeiedge 64 of v a` yarn guide kG5 pivoted at 66 within the slot of the latch ring 6. tached at one end to said yarnguide'and at the other end tothe pivot 68 for said latch ring, normally tends to maintain'said'yarn guide in its loweimost or yarn feeding position against the throat plate 15J Means are provided to .raise the thrust barv v6l, and therebvy move said yarn guide 65 fromv its operative to inoperative position, said meansY consisting of thel usual pattern means or pattern drum 29 having the usual elevations 2S thereon, and these` elevations are ai ranged to engage a cam lever 69 pivoted at 7() to a fixed portion of the machine` not shown. This cam lever has pivotal en'` gagement at 7lv with the lower enelof the thrust barfGl, and obviously any pivmalv movement of said cam lever 69 will transmit an equivalent movement` to the thrust bar 61 to actuatethe yarn V i socia'ted therewith.

iVhile I have herein shownand described merely for illustrativepurposes one specific embodiment of my invention, and have disclosed and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to such disclosure, it is to` bey distinctly understood thatV the invention is limited neitherfto the mere details or relative arrangement ofthe parts of the yarn knitting mechanismnor to the specific application herein shown, but that extensive variations from the illustrations guide operatively aps'- 2. In a knitting machine the combination of a pivoted yarn guide support', a yarn guide pivoted on said support, a thrust bar pivotally connected with said yarn guide so as toV permit independent movement of said yarn guide with its support relatively to said thrust bary and pattern means for 'imparting movement to said thrust bar.

3. Inra knitting machine, the combination of a pivoted latch ring, a yarn guide mounted in said latch ring, a revoluble cam, and means attached to said yarn guide and adapted to cooperate with said cam to effect movement of said yarn guide into and out of it-s yarn feeding posit-ion said means permitting independent movement of said latch ring with said yarn guide to and from knit-- ting position.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a swinging latch ring, a yarn vguide mounted in saidl latch ring, a revoluble cam,

' fill and means attached to said yarn guide and adapted'to cooperate with said cam to effect movementof said yarnguide into and out of its yarn feeding position, said means permitting inde endent movement of said latch ring with said yarn guide to and from knitting position. Y

' 5. In a knitting machine, Vthe combination of a revoluble needle carrier, a non-revoluble pivoted latch ring, a plurality of yarn guides pivotally mounted in said latch ring and movable bodily therewith, a thrust-bar pivotally connected with each of said yarn guides adapted to permit independent movement of said'latch ring with` said yarn guides to andfrom knitting position7 and pattern means to impart movement to said thrust bars to move said yarn guides from one position to another. u

' 6. In a knitting machine, the combination of a swinging latch ring, a yarn guide pivoted in said latch ring-pattern means, a thrust- ,bar operated by said pattern means, and

means ,pivotally connecting said yarn guide and said thrust-bar adapted to eiect cooperationV therebetween and ,to allow said yarn guide to swing bodily with said latch-ring without moving said thrust-bar.

Y 7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a swinging latch ring, a yarn guide pivoted in said latch ring, pattern means, a thrustbarv operated by'said pattern means, and means interposed between said yarn guide and vsaid thrust-bar adapted to effect cooperation ytherebetween and to allow said yarn guide to swing bodily with saidlatch ring bers.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pivoted latch ring, a yarn guide pivoted in said latch ring, pattern means, a thrustbar operated by said pattern means, and means connected with said thrust-bar and having pivotal connection with said yarn guide at a point normally substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of said latch ring, whereby said yarn guide may be moved bodily with said latch ring without eecting a relative guide.l

l0. In a knitting machine, the combination of a swinging latch ring, a yarn guide pivoted in said latch ring, pattern means, a thrust-bai' operated by said pattern means, and a link pivotally connected with said thrust-bar and having sliding engagement with said yain guide to eifect positive movenient of said yarn guide in one direction.

v ll. In a knitting machine, a swinging support, a yarn guide, mounted in said support, means yieldingly to maintain said yarn guide in yarn feeding position, a thrust-bar operatively connected with said yarn guide,

means to impart movement to said thrustbar whereby said yarn guide may be moved .from yarn 'l'eeding to inoperative position ly stationary throat plate against which said yarn guides rest when in theiryarn feeding positions, pattern means to effect movement f of'said yarn guides toward and away from said plate, and means to allow said latch ring to be swung upon its pivot independently of said yarn guides and without moving said throat plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification,

pivotal movement of said yarn Armin LANDn-Y. y Y 

